One of the things I’ve enjoyed most as a writing and editing professional is collaborating with military veterans to help share their stories with a wider audience. I discussed this in a podcast with the USF Judy Genshaft Honors College recently, particularly with regard to my past work as lead editor of Vietnam magazine. I have a lot to say on this subject based on experience – too much to put down in this short list of tips.

I have witnessed many veterans, especially men, facing an uphill battle with writing because they are worried about what to say or how it will come out. Common avoidances include “I don’t have time,” “Nobody will care,” or “I am a terrible writer.” Some veterans would like to take the plunge but don’t know where to start and hesitate indefinitely.

Here is a short list of tips in case they are helpful:

1. Stop worrying about grammar, spelling, and style. You don’t have to have a fancy degree in literature to write a good book. If you worry about style, don’t. That’s why God created editors.
2. You can write with no pressure. Writing a book is like building something. You can assemble different components at whatever time before putting them together in a final construction, which can then be polished. You don’t have to be chained to a desk or produce a lot all at once. Finishing a book requires discipline, but it is a self-discipline you can mold.
3. Do not feel bound by chronology or to explain every event in your life. Divorces/annoying exes, kid problems, stressful or boring tours of duty and other normal stuff in life don’t have to be in your written story. You can leave things out of your story if you choose.
4. Do not erase yourself from your own experiences. Sometimes veterans writing about combat will describe what everyone else in their unit did but not their own actions. This is often due to humility and/or wanting to focus on others, especially who gave their lives. Actually, eyewitness perspectives are valuable, and erasing oneself from a firsthand experience undermines credibility from a historical perspective. If you saw or took part in something, it’s worth mentioning you were present even if you don’t want to describe details. None of your friends there with you would write you out of their story, so there is no reason to ignore or deny yourself.
5. Sacrifices are worth recording. Sometimes veterans want to commemorate fallen friends but hesitate due to tragic or traumatic events, saying things like: “There’s nothing much to say – he was a good guy and he died,” or “I really don’t know what to say.” You don’t have to write about traumatic events and doing so might not be beneficial for everyone. However, it can be helpful to share tributes to fallen friends and record events that took place. Tributes can even be simple things about their goodness as a person or a fun time you had. Recording these things, especially in written form, ensures that the fallen and their accomplishments will be remembered by others.

My last tip, and the most important, is to never assume that nobody will care. In my experience, it is most often the guys who feel most unsure of themselves and who put the brakes on the hardest before writing who share stories that resonate very well with others, especially other veterans. Writing about your experiences is not selfishness or venting useless emotions. It is an important and memorable form of expression that can benefit a larger community, both now and in the future. Only you can share your story. Writing may not be the best approach for everyone, and there is no one-size-fits-all style or result, but relating your experiences in writing could prove worthwhile and is worth considering.